1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a refrigerated merchandise enclosure having a view panel or area for displaying perishable food articles, and more particularly, to such an enclosure having a color filter for protecting perishable food articles from deterioration arising from a prolonged exposure to harmful light, whether interior or exterior to the enclosure, while permitting the articles to be clearly seen and discerned by a purchaser when looking at the refrigerated product in the merchandiser.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Modern displays of fresh foods are brightly lit in keeping with the idea that shoppers are attracted to and prefer bright displays, which in turn leads to improved sales volumes for retailers. What is less understood is the impact of this retail lighting on food safety, shelf life and the negative impact of using general lighting on perishable food products. Food does not last once it is exposed to light and radiation from heat in the store and artificial light sources. This is especially true for refrigerated products as they are the most sensitive to reduced shelf life from lighting and heat.
All food display lighting causes surface heating and promotes the photochemical process that contribute discoloration, oxidation (i.e., drying), and food borne pathogen growth. The brighter the light the greater the damage. As such, display lighting and ambient light around the display cabinet may be a source of damage to the safety and appearance of the products the seller is trying to merchandise. Desirably, a refrigerated merchandise display case would minimize harmful glaring light reaching the food product while serving to enhance the visibility and identity of the product promoted in the display case. Typically, food products in the refrigerated display case are illuminated by ambient daylight and by artificial lighting (e.g., fluorescent and incandescent lights) that is in the store (and exterior to the display case) and/or inside the display case thereby exposing the any food products to the deleterious effects of ultraviolet light which is emitted by the ambient and artificial light. In many applications, the artificial lighting hurts a fresh merchandise presentation by overpowering a display case with glaring light, causing products to appear washed out and unattractive while promoting pathogenic growth. Radiation from lighting works directly against the moisture and temperature controls in refrigerated display cases, dehydrating, oxidizing, and heating merchandise through invisible wavelengths. Studies show that lighting produces several types of radiation that can be damaging to specific products. Ultraviolet and infrared radiation, for example, is associated with surface drying and internal heating of merchandise. Further, certain parts of the visible spectrum, in particular those emphasized by regular fluorescents, can have damaging effects on fresh products, such as meat, where bacterial growth is a major concern.
An advantage of filtering harmful and damaging light from refrigerated food products is reduced shrinkage and extended shelf life without having to replace light sources. Reduced shrinkage, discoloration, and drying out of packaged food products correlates into fewer items that are thrown out due to drying or other damage.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,360,374 and 7,673,467, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference, there is disclosed light filtering media which assist in maintaining the freshness of foodstuffs in various refrigerated displays. As disclosed in the afore mentioned the U.S. Letters Patent the invention thereof involve the utilization of a single filtering media in order to achieve their respective results. However, because of the different type of foodstuffs, which are typically maintained in a refrigerated display such as it is found in convenient stores, fueling stations, super markets the efficacy of the invention needs to expand. It is now been found that by deploying various colored translucent filtering media better or more enhanced stabilization of foodstuffs contained therewithin is achieved.
It should be noted that the present invention as detailed below is equally applicable to display merchandisers that do not have a door and/or viewing panel, but rather use “air curtains” otherwise known as open-faced coolers.
Moreover, by utilizing these translucent materials in combination with opaque materials, it is possible to incorporate various advertising media or the like therewithin while still achieving the purposes to which the present of the invention is directed.
In addition, it has now been found that by providing various “sized filtering media” better securement of the filtering media to associated fluorescent lamps is achieved.